Endless
by Renolvr
Summary: A collaboration of oneshots by myself and AngelCrisisEos. Centres around FFVII main characters. This was originally posted on Eos' profile. Being reposted here with some changes.
1. Time Goes By

**_A/N: Endless lives! Okay, pretty much the same as before, rewrote a few pieces and filled it out a small big. Song credits to Madonna, credit for plot to AngelCrisisEos, writing to the both of us.

* * *

Time goes by so slowly_**

Three hours; one hundred and eighty minutes; it didn't matter what way she worded it, she was still sitting there waiting for him to arrive. The candles she had lit had slowly slunk down into stumps, flickering as they tried to stay alight, casting haunting shadows on the walls of the dimly lit room. Even the fresh roses she had placed in their glass vase had begun to wilt and droop; they had given up too.

Warm streaks slowly made their way down her cheeks, any other time and she may have tried to hide it, but what was the use? A year, a whole year had passed since had uncharacteristically admitted his feelings to her. His words had been simple, but they had been enough. They had been proof that she hadn't been as disillusioned as she had thought; proof that she hadn't lost out to something as empty as a memory. But then how come she was sitting here by herself, staring at two freezing cold and ruined dinners. One year to the day and he didn't care.

_**Every little thing that you say or do  
I'm hung up, I'm hung up on you  
Waiting for your call  
Baby night and day, I'm fed up  
I'm tired of waiting on you**  
_

Tifa was a fool for Cloud's love, and the killing part she was, she knew it. She'd tell herself how enough was enough, how she was done allowing him to simply walk in and out of her life. But she always found herself doing the same thing, jumping to his every word or whim, bending over backwards to help him whenever he needed it. Tonight marked the fact that they had been an item for one year, he hadn't shown up. She had waited and waited, watching the tall and thin cream candles eat away at their wicks. Enough was enough, she had waited to spite herself, but it was now nearing two in the morning and she was tired; both mentally and physically. He had made his choice and now it was up to her to make her own choice too.

A quick glance into kids' bedroom to make sure they were okay. A small smile crossed her lips in spite of the mood she was in; Marlene fast asleep with the duvet up around her shoulders…Denzel was another story however, he preferred to have a limb at each corner of the bed and his duvet twisted somewhere around his middle. But at least he was comfortable that way, or until he woke up in a few hours wondering why he was cold.

Grabbing a wash cloth and drying off her face; Tifa raised her head up to greet her reflection in the mirror. She was not pleased in the slightest by the woman who stared back at her…tired, pale, red rimmed and watery eyes. That couldn't be her, she had never been one to think overly high of herself, but one thing Tifa had always prided herself on was her strength, be it emotionally or physically…but the girl looking back at her was the epitome of weak.

But it was her, so how had she allowed herself to slip below her own standards? How had she managed to do so without even noticing? When did she start feeling sorry for herself? No one else did, so she had no right to. Had she done this to herself? Making herself promises she couldn't keep and making excuses for someone who was not bothered to even make his own? This wasn't right. She hadn't gone through everything she had to fall apart in the face of nothing. Things had to change, but he wasn't going to, she knew that now, she'd given him chance after chance and he'd literally waved at them as they'd passed him by. She had to change it.

_**Time goes by so slowly for those who wait  
No time to hesitate  
Those who run seem to have all the fun  
I'm caught up  
I don't know what to do**  
_

It was late, he knew that, it was really late and he knew that too. But the delivery had taken longer than he'd thought it would. Cloud locked the door behind him as he walked in, trying his best to make as little noise as possible as he set his keys on the small table and kicked off his boots before proceeding up the stairs. A quick peek into the kids' room before he continued to the room he shared with Tifa, taking a few seconds to pull Denzel's duvet up around his sleeping frame.

Eight deliveries for tomorrow already, there'd be more by the morning, he'd promised to bring Denzel with him but they were going to be long ones, he'd have to stay at the bar. It wasn't fair to expect him to tag along for that long. Cloud hid a yawn behind his hand as he quietly entered the room, then quickly changed and made his way over to the bed where Tifa lay sound asleep. A small smile crossed his lips as he gently wiped several stray strands of hair back behind her ear before leaning down and placing a light kiss on her forehead._  
_

**_Time goes by so slowly  
Time goes by so slowly  
Time goes by so slowly  
I don't know what to do_**

His breath was shallow and regular, it hadn't taken him all that long fall asleep. Another minute or two passed before Tifa cracked her wine-red eyes open and squinted at the clock; _4:30 am, _if she was going to go, then it had to be now. Much longer and Cloud would be up again to run more deliveries. He had come home, but she couldn't go back on her decision now. If she did then she knew she'd never have the nerve to leave. It was now or never; one good turn did not wipe clean a whole year of bad ones. Time had come full circle and nothing had changed.

**_Every little thing that you say or do  
I'm hung up, I'm hung up on you  
Waiting for your call, Baby night and day  
I'm fed up, I'm tired of waiting on you_**

Tifa quietly and quickly gathered her things, a few small belongings she had gathered and thrown into a bag last night before falling asleep. A quick root around the kitchen cupboard and she had grabbed some food. She wouldn't need all that much, just enough until she got to Yuffie's. A small smile lit up her face as her sense of humor picked a rather awkward time to pop up; a bag in one hand while her other closed around the keys to Fenrir.

_**Every little thing that you say or do  
I'm hung up  
I'm hung up on you**  
_

Cloud bolted awake as the sound of Fenrir peeling out of the garage filled his ears. The blond took a second or two to organize his thoughts before he noticed Tifa's absence, then reality hit as he put two and two together. She wouldn't have, no way in the seven depths of hell would she have – right? He knew her, he'd known her all his life, she wouldn't have; she just wouldn't have!

But even as he tore down the stairs and to the front door, he knew the answer to what had happened. He didn't register the damp pavement numbing his exposed toes nor did he take notice of the rain that was falling, only the sight of the woman he had said he'd loved leaving on his motorcycle. He'd shouted her name before he had known what he was doing, but she didn't look around, she just left. Leaving him standing alone and stunned; it was a dream. It had to be. He would wake up in the morning with Tifa asleep alongside him, she couldn't leave; Tifa didn't leave stuff. She wouldn't leave him…

She kept going, even as his shouts cut at her conscience. She didn't look back, if she did, then she knew she would go back. It hurt her to leave like this too, not just him, in the early morning, with the kids fast asleep in their beds; Denzel would be waking up soon wondering how his duvet had landed on the floor, unless he'd already pulled it back up over himself. She hadn't banked on Cloud waking up, but it didn't matter either way, it was done. It may hurt like hell right now, but someone had told her time was a great healer. She couldn't keep going down the same path of wasting her time and hopes on a dream that just refused to come true.

**_Waiting for your call  
Baby night and day  
I'm fed up  
I'm tired of waiting on you_**

Tifa glanced down to her phone as she felt its silent vibrations against her hip; Cloud's name was flashing on the small external screen. She left it ring out, maybe later they could talk, but just not right now, she couldn't deal with Cloud right now. She had made up her mind; she was damned if she was going to be sweet talked back into the same endless cycle of waiting up and crying herself to sleep. She wasn't just a part of Seventh Heaven's furniture; she wasn't always going to be there, waiting and hoping.

It took two to make a relationship work. It didn't matter how hard she fought for it to succeed or how many nights she waited up, he'd made his decision a long time ago. She'd thought with time he could allow others in. And he could, in words anyhow. But words were cheap, actions were necessary. And that was something Cloud lacked. If he couldn't commit to a meaningful relationship, or tie himself down with the responsibilities of a family, that was fine. But she didn't have to hang around and play the perfect quiet and obedient housewife either, all the while waiting for him to make up his mind. She had a choice too.

**_Ring ring ring goes the telephone  
The lights are on but there's no-one home  
Tick tick tock it's a quarter to two  
And I'm done,  
I'm hanging up on you

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews or comments highly appreciated!_**


	2. The Story

_**A/N: I originally wrote this to prevent myself from killing some kids I was babysitting...I think this oneshot will actually end up killing me. I have revised and rewrote it too many times to count and I'm still not happy with it -_-**_

* * *

Darkness had fallen by the time he'd managed to find his way back home; a bleak but cheap apartment block. It might have been cheap, but it had a bed, shower, kitchen, television and couch. It was better than the slums at least…anything was better than the slums he'd grown up.

Reno hid a yawn behind his hand as he kicked the bottom of his front door while twisting the key at the same time and pushing inwards - stupid door always got stuck. He heaved a sigh as he kicked the door shut behind him, putting more strength than was needed into the kick - he was pissed off and tired. For once in his life, the young man could honestly hold his hand up and say he'd done a hard days' work…it just made things more work than usual when the person begged, not that he had much of a conscience left at this stage.

The wiry Turk kicked off his dark sneakers as he passed the couch, resisting the urge to simply lay down and sleep - he would have gladly crawled into a hole somewhere and slept for a week, but there was no way in hell he was going to allow himself to sleep with that much blood marring his skin. And if getting splash-back from that fat idiot the President had wanted eliminated hadn't been bad enough, he'd received an utter earful from Tseng because of the blood. What did he expect? Bang-bang - no splatter? He had lost it a bit, even he had to admit that. Reno shook his head as he thought back over the words he literally yelled across the briefing room at the head-Turk after being talked down to...

"I swear to fucking god! You don't learn to get the hell off my back, you can go look for my replacement! I'll quit this shit and y'know what? I'd join AVALANCHE just to spite you all! Give ShinRa a real run for its precious gil! You want things done differently, then stop giving me all the dirty missions, Tseng!"

He hated hindsight; it made you realise that you could have crossed a line, but only after it's been done and when you can do nothing about it. Still, he had been severally pissed off and Tseng knew that. Tseng knew how he worked and knew his words had been an empty threat. With a slight sigh, he turned and headed straight for the shower, again ignoring the urge to crash on his couch.

The young man remained silent as the hot water beat down hard on his shoulders, slowly but surely erasing the proof of a successful mission to a possible competitor's household. He guessed the President was an extremely insecure person, the slightest possibility of a competitor and he'd ordered the man to be eliminated.

It was another fifteen or twenty minutes before he stepped out of the shower, satisfied that all traces of blood had been washed down the drain. He paused over the sink as he wiped the condensation from the mirror, his reflection staring right back at him. He watched the mirror as he allowed his thoughts to wander yet again.

"When the hell did I sign up for this shit?"

It was a stupid question to ask. He hadn't signed up for anything. He had been signed in because he'd been causing too much hassle in the slums. It had been the usual story, no Dad, a mother who spent more time out on the street than at home or with another new boyfriend, a sibling or two roaming the streets. Some neighbours had tried to help, but his Mom had only thrown their generosity back in their faces. Social services hadn't been much better; they'd come, investigate, send him to a home with overly friendly people who had been hell bent on getting him to talk about his _feelings_, but he'd always ended up back in the same hell-hole.

And people wondered why he had turned out the way he had? Trust ShinRa to take an untameable kid and turn him into a top rate assassin. Reno shook his head as he turned away from the mirror, remembering all the years he'd spent in the slums as a kid, all the dreams he'd had back then, the life he'd been adamant about making for himself...and here he was; the very same. He was older, taller, wiser, stronger, more skilled and better paid, but he was still killing and doing other peoples dirty work for a price.

**_I've been thinking of everything,_**

**_I used to want to be._**

**_I've been thinking of everything,_**

**_Of me, of you and me._**

He was a Turk now, trained to fight, kill, assess, analyse and pilot a chopper. Any chance he had of a normal life was well and truly gone now. He was the one Turk Tseng seemed to give all the tough assignments to; the type of missions that resulted in stress and guilt, the emotions some of the other Turks couldn't handle so well. He didn't care about or even register those emotions anymore. He'd grown up alone, seen things at a young age, which would have made adults, cringe, he'd seen death before he'd even known what it was, he'd known the main weak areas of an average person's body before he'd entered adolescence and had been signed into the Turks at seventeen.

Two years later and he was one of the top. Some people would have been proud if they'd accomplished all that, but it was just nothing to him. He'd learned from an early age that you could depend on no one but yourself in life. You were alone from day one and you depended on yourself and yourself only. That suited him; other people got in his way. It was easier to accept that, than to go out on a limb and make yourself vulnerable to another person.

**_This is the story of my life,_**

**_These are the lies I have created._**

He had been condoned to a life of constantly looking over his shoulder. People tended to bear grudges when ShinRa destroyed something or someone they held deal. Thanks to Tseng's ever so selective distribution of assignments, most of them knew to look for a lanky nineteen-year-old with red hair and mako eyes.

Tseng's mentality had been why ruin another Turk with the mental strain of ending a possibly innocent life when Reno could? It wasn't that he saw it as Reno's only use, he was an extremely well trained and valuable asset to the Turks, he'd probably go far once he got his head straightened out. If he ever did.

Reno had a fundamentally different way of viewing relationships than others in the Turks, he saw things in a different light than them; when they saw a father or mother, he simply saw a man or woman; two additional targets, no personal ties or feelings. Nothing seemed to damage or impact on the young man anymore. He was capable of eliminating an entire family, then just grin and shrug it off. There were no doubts, it made him more efficient and successful on missions, but there were times when it became a little unsettling.

Tseng had tried to help him. He'd dug up some old juvenile reports on the teenager, along with several reports from social services. He had tried to set him straight and get through to him, but Reno hadn't given a damn about his supposed mental state. He didn't see anything wrong with his outlook on life; if he had to kill someone, then he had to kill someone. If, by chance, his own life was put in jeopardy in the process of a mission, it made things more interesting.

Reno understood his role in life; he was at the bottom; he got rid of whoever the top guys pointed at. It was all he was needed for and something he was good at.

**_I'm in the middle of nothing,_**

**_And it's where I want to be._**

**_I'm at the bottom of everything,_**

**_And I finally start to leave._**

His life had always been that way. It was all he would amount to. Every couple of weeks he was forced to move after some begrudging connection to a person he had eliminated managed to track him down. He killed people for a living, but he reckoned he was entitled to his time off too. ShinRa wouldn't care if someone actually managed to kill him either way, he'd just disappear and who would even notice?

ShinRa would replace him with another person and strike his name and staff number of the payroll. He had no family to notice if he went missing. His mother had tracked him down once; she had even shown up at ShinRa, demanding for one of the women at reception to let her see him. If there hadn't been so many of the public around at the time, he reckoned he would have killed her there and then.

He'd never expected much from her, she'd never given him anything but a hard time, that or kick from one of her boyfriends. Anyone else would have wanted to apologise to their son, congratulate him on getting a well-paid job and doing something other than roaming the slums. Not his mother.

She'd come looking for gil. Probably to pay back a loan shark or a dealer or something. Reno had taken an unhealthy amount of pleasure in telling her no. He'd bitten back a lot and tried his best not to make a spectacle of himself on the stairs leading up from the lobby of the ShinRa building, but she'd grabbed his arm, shouting at him and demanding the gil.

He didn't remember much of what had happened after that, just seeing the shock in her eyes when he'd yelled back. Then the fear when he'd snapped his arm back and pushed her away from him...he hadn't realised how close to the edge she'd been. Everyone else had come running when she'd screamed; they'd all stood around her when she reached the bottom; lying motionless as crimson spread across the marble floor.

He'd watched as the crimson had spread, but he'd felt nothing. Others had arrived, Tseng included, all while he'd walked away from the whole scene.

**_This is the story of my life,_**

**_These are the lies I have created -_**

**_I created._**

Thinking was a dangerous thing he decided. Reno shook his head, ridding himself of his thoughts and memories as he tied the belt on his jeans, turning as several loud thumps announced someone at the door to his apartment. More knocks followed, growing louder as he walked towards the door, banging his hip on the side table while he shouted his response, albeit with more venom than what was necessary as he sent the table an evil glare.

"I'm fuckin' coming! Calm down already!"

Reno hid a yawn behind his hand as he pulled the door inwards, a deafening bang filled his ears before he could even look to see who'd been hammering on the door.

The Turk felt his knees crash painfully against the floor as his ears rang from the gunshot. Pain seared across his abdomen as one of his hands automatically flew to the area, pressing hard against it. He grimaced as he glanced up; eyes narrow and teeth clenched tight against the pain. Several black-suited men were standing around him. He watched as one of the younger one kicked the door shut and turned the key in the lock...someone had done their homework.

None of them attempted to hide their satisfied smirks; they evidently enjoyed seeing him on his knees. Reno kept his jaw clenched shut as one of the older Turks stepped forward, cocking his handgun as he spoke.

"We have been sent to notify you of the immediate termination of your employment."

"No shit..."

Reno hissed as he took his eyes away from the Turks and looked down to his torso as he pulled hi hand away an inch or so; blood coated his palm. Other companies just sent you a p45 or a layoff notice when your job ended; ShinRa sent Turks and a bullet. He smirked despite his situation, if they thought for second he was going to make this easy, they were wrong.

He'd lost count of how many missions like this he'd been sent on. It was always the same set up; injure target, block exit routes and disarm the target if necessary. They already had the door blocked, the only other exit route was his window and fire escape; they knew that. They had to know that, it was basic information to have going into a mission like this. They expected him to backtrack, but none of them knew where he'd left his own gun.

The youth played on his injury as he struggled to his feet, feigning a pathetic escape as he used the wall to guide him back to living are of his apartment, away from the Turks. He heard their over-confident snorts and half-laughs as he stumbled blindly away from them, using the wall to steady himself before hitting the ground behind his couch.

The eldest of the Turks sighed as he stepped forward and walked over to the seemingly dead young man. He was a kid in his eyes; his own son was only a year or two younger than the one laying at his feet. He cast a quick glance around the bleak apartment, taking note of the sneakers at the other end of the couch, the steam on the mirror in the bathroom; a patch wiped clear across the condensation, a loose t-shirt lay on the back of the couch; the kid had probably left it out to wear after his shower...

"I remember when he joined, how old is he now?"

"Nineteen."

It took all of Reno's self-control not to allow his eyes to shoot wide as he registered the voice that had answered the man. It couldn't be him. He cursed himself for not taking a better look at all of the Turks' faces, then he'd know he was wrong...why would Tseng stab him in the back like this?

"What age was he recruited at?"

"Seventeen."

"He's more skilled than many of the senior members, let alone the newbies. Why did the President order this?"

Tseng didn't answer immediately; instead, he moved back several paces, keeping his stance slightly behind the others. He didn't want any part in this mission. Reno was one of the Turks specifically beneath his command. Veld was the Commander of the Turks; he was the next senior member and had his own personal preferences when it came to working with his fellow Turks. Veld had put Reno directly beneath him with the intention of calming the youth down.

But it hadn't worked. Reno had said his part earlier. He was still a teenager and tended to let his temper get the better of him, Tseng understood that and allowed most of his outbursts to slide. Whether Reno had simply been blowing off steam earlier or actually meant what he'd said was now irrelevant. He had proclaimed his willingness to leave the company and ally with an opposing organisation. He was no longer seen as an asset, but a weakness to the company.

If it had been any other day, Tseng would have disregarded the youngster's words, but his rant had been overheard. He had been summoned to a meeting with both Veld and the President minutes after Reno had left the building and had been given the order to eliminate the weakness.

"He has become a liability to the Turks and to ShinRa."

Reno bit his tongue hard, using what self-control he had ignored during his outburst earlier to prevent himself from firing a few choice words at Tseng's explanation. He held his breath as he slowly slid his hand beneath his couch, gripping his handgun tightly. He froze as fingers pressed against the side of his neck, only to be snapped away as quick.

"He's still alive."

A smirk found its way to his lips as he heard the Turk cocking his handgun; eyes snapped open as he flipped himself over and rammed his heel into the man's shin, taking aim and firing before the Turk could react with his own firearm. Before any of the others had time to register why their fellow Turk had suddenly keeled sideways, the youth was back on his feet and taking advantage of their surprise.

None of them had expected for even a moment that the teenager had been playing them. The shock of his surprise retaliation jarred their responses, fingers fumbled to find triggers as the target's aim remained dead-on.

**_And I swear to God,_**

**_I've found myself,_**

**_In the end..._**

Reno stood in the middle of his apartment, panting as he pressed his free hand against the wound in his abdomen. He silently wondered which one of the jackasses had shot his fridge as he took in the scene; five Turks lay motionless on the floor, and only one still standing. Reno narrowed his eyes as his vision blurred, he blinked hard until they focussed once more; the tiredness he'd felt since finishing work and the effects of blood loss were starting to take their toll on his body. He took a shaky step towards the one Turk who had evaded his onslaught. Reno locked eyes with him, not attempting to hide the betrayal and anger from his voice as he spoke.

"You two-faced bastard."

Tseng nodded his head in agreement, willingly accepting the youth's verbal abuse. He deserved it. He hadn't wanted any part in this mission, but he had come along regardless. He had known in the back of his head that Reno wouldn't go down easily. He had hoped having five other experienced Turks would have over-powered the nineteen-year-old, but now thanks to Reno's actions, he had to take part in the mission. He had been given an order and had to act on it regardless of personal bias.

"Agreed. I have no choice. You know better than to shoot your mouth off when Scarlet is on the Turks' floor. She reported your words to the President. This is his order Reno, not mine."

"Bullshit, Tseng!"

Reno laughed as he cast another look around his apartment before hardening his glare, cocking his handgun and taking aim. It was so easy to blame it on the job; he wasn't the one being ordered to disappear. He held his breath as his finger tightened around the trigger...

_Click -_

His gun might have stalled, but a gunshot still rang out. Another deafening shot sounded, closely followed by another, and another...with a final shot, the nineteen-year-old relinquished his grip and allowed his own gun to fall to the ground. He faltered as his feet gave way beneath him; the whole apartment seemed to go sideways for a stomach-churning moment before the floor met the side of his head with a painful jolt.

Tseng walked towards the fallen youth, keeping his own gun pointed to the floor in case it was another of Reno's acts. He had to give him due credit for the one he had pulled earlier, not even he had thought the hard-headed Turk had been fooling them. But the teenager made no attempt to reclaim his gun as Tseng approached. The senior Turk kicked the gun clear of the redhead's reach as he bent down, checking for a pulse himself this time.

"Damnit Reno... just give in, please."

Tseng shook his head disbelievingly as he stood back up, taking a step or two back as he cocked his gun once more. He still had a pulse, weak, but still clearly there. He remained stonily silent as he turned his target over.

Reno smirked as he found himself staring up the barrel of a gun. This was definitely going down as his worst day at work. He hadn't gone down alone though, he had managed to take five Turks with him and he was pretty sure the other people in the building had heard their shouts and gunshots; ShinRa would have have a hard time coming up with an explanation for five deaths, six if they listed him as a Turk and a trashed apartment. Reno locked eyes with Tseng again as his sense of humour picked the worst possible time to kick in.

"Tell Scarlet I'm gonna be her own personal poltergeist..."

He trailed off as blood made its way up his throat; flooding his mouth with its metallic tang as he coughed midway through laughing.

Tseng averted his gaze as he heard the coughing. The damn fucker was making this all the harder without even meaning to...Scarlet would pay for this. He didn't care how or when, but he would make it his own personal mission to see the blonde suffer for this.

"Stop...this isn't a joke, Reno."

Reno laughed again; pain searing through his chest. People loved to point out the obvious. He knew this wasn't a joke, he wasn't an idiot. If it was a joke, he wouldn't have been shot in the first place; he wouldn't be grinding his teeth against the pain, and he wouldn't be fighting to get air into his lungs if it were just a joke.

"So shit again...Good knowing ya, Tseng."

That metallic tang bit at the back of his tongue once more as he struggled to get another breath in, coughing as the pain restricted his chest.

"See you on the other side, Reno."

A final shot rang out as the mission was completed.

**_In the is the story of my life,_**

**_These are the lies I have created.

* * *

_**

**_A/N: I made some small changes, mostly just taking out stuff and re-wording other stuff. I'll probably end up rewriting this again sometime in the future :P Lyrics = 30 Seconds To Mars btw.  
_**


End file.
